


Shell Shocked

by boomsherlocka



Series: The Aftermath of the Rock Pile [1]
Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Fluff and Crack, Kid Fic, M/M, Stanley Cup Magic, Were!Penguins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:48:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23919979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomsherlocka/pseuds/boomsherlocka
Summary: The egg itself bore no clues.The presence of said egg had come somewhat as a surprise-- Geno always teased Sid for being broody, but this clearly was not what he had meant.
Relationships: Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin
Series: The Aftermath of the Rock Pile [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1725439
Comments: 19
Kudos: 134





	Shell Shocked

The egg itself bore no clues. 

The presence of said egg had come somewhat as a surprise-- Geno always teased Sid for being broody, but this clearly _was not what he had meant._

It was the off season, at least. 

Their set-up was pretty ideal, all things considered. The full moon would rise and they’d turn into their respective forms. Geno would spend most of his time in the warm habitat, gorging himself on the fish that Sid would carefully lay out and end up passing out on a hot rock. Sid would jump and dive into his cold water pool for hours on end before relenting and joining Geno for grooming. 

Things changed with Sid started bringing rocks in from the garden, using the little doggie door they’d installed for these particular nights. Sid enjoyed the snow very much, after all. 

The rock thing was a weird game, but a disgruntled squawk was all Geno needed to start helping the little gentoo accomplish his task. 

Sid built his little rock pile in the cold room, waddling around it in a proud circle with a shiny black pebble in his beak before turning back to Geno, dropping the pebble at his feet. 

This meant something, clearly, but Geno was lost. 

Sid honked loudly and Geno scrambled to pick up the pebble, clenching it tightly in his beak. 

Now what? 

Sid levelled him with an unimpressed glare and hopped into his pile of rocks, opening his beak expectantly. 

Geno came forward and gave the rock to Sid, who trilled happily and added the black pebble to his pile, as content as a penguin could be. 

As for Geno, he was cold. Sid’s cold room was always a little much for a Humboldt penguin after too long. 

Anyway, if he wanted to be human in the morning he had to be in his penguin form’s natural climate. 

Cup magic was weird that way. They’d won back to back Cups but the whole team ended up with a Swan Princess-like penguin that struck them once a month that none of them had figured out how to shake. 

The next morning found Geno making breakfast. Sid walked into the kitchen with his hands cupped together. “Morning Sid, you want I make you eggs?” 

“NO!” Sid snapped, eyes wild and face pale. “No eggs. G-- we have a problem.” 

Geno started to ask but Sid uncurled his fingers to reveal-- an egg. It was small and greenish-white, but otherwise unremarkable. “Fall from tree outside?” Geno asked. 

Sid shook his head once. “No. I… apparently I laid it. Last night. In that nest you helped me build.” 

“Wasn’t nest, was just pile of rocks,” Geno argued. 

“It wasn’t ‘just a pile of rocks’, I worked hard on that,” Sid said defensively, his fingers curling back over the egg, protecting it. “We need an incubator, heat lamp… whatever someone needs for a baby bird.” 

Geno sputtered. “Sid, is crazy! You boy!” 

“Apparently not as a penguin!” 

Geno waved a dismissive hand. “We don’t ever have sex as penguin.” 

Sid narrowed his eyes a bit. “Just because the next morning you ask me to never mention it again doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.” 

Geno blushed bright red. “So we have baby penguin who hatch? Is penguin forever? How we keep penguin child secret from whole world?” 

“I don’t have answers to any of those questions Geno, this happens to be the first egg I’ve ever laid in _my entire life_ ,” Sid hissed. “Just go to a pet supply, please. I have to stay here and keep it warm.” 

Geno was dressed in just a pair of sweatpants, but he pulled on a hoodie hanging by the door, slipped on Sid’s too-small Crocs, and went to the pet supply store. 

He came back with a small incubator, which Sid insisted they set up in their bedroom. He hovered over it and followed the instructions he found online that suggested turning the egg occasionally. 

Their first month with the egg passed and when the time came for the full moon, Sid sat dutifully in his rock nest, egg tucked between his feet and beak tucked under his wing. 

Geno moped a bit, not really interested in his fish or his hot rock or swimming without Sid. Eventually he made his way to Sid’s nest, trying not to disturb him too much as he tried to make room for himself. 

Sid shifted to tuck his beak under Geno’s wing instead and they stood together with their improbable egg. 

The next month Geno volunteered to keep the egg warm, and Sid hovered, agitated and anxious that something would go wrong. Geno ruffled his feathers and felt proud he was being useful. Sid went to swim for a bit before coming back to Geno, his mouth filled with fish that he dropped at Geno’s feet before hopping into the nest alongside him. 

After a while he pecked at Geno’s side before tapping his food against his. 

The night was over, and if Geno wanted to be human when the sun rose he needed to go. 

The dance to pass over the egg was delicate but they did it. Geno snapped up one of the fish before setting off towards the warm room. 

When he woke and dressed Sid had already transferred their egg to the incubator and was taking a shower. 

Sid spent more and more time in the bedroom and less and less time anywhere else. Geno would bring him food, watch television with him up there, just spend time together watching over their egg. 

“Sid, we really going to have a baby?” Geno asked one afternoon as he picked at his tuna salad half-heartedly. 

“I don’t know how it works,” Sid said softly as he reached over to snatch the half of Geno’s sandwich he didn’t seem interested in. “And there’s not really anyone we can ask about it. This is a pretty unique circumstance, I think. Are you worried?” 

Geno wasn’t sure worried was quite the right word, but he wasn’t sure what the right word would be. “Well… no. I think either way baby will be very cute. Penguin forever or like us.” 

Sid nodded, looking up at Geno as he polished off his sandwich. “Well. From what I’ve found it will hatch before the next full moon. It could be any day. It’s why I don’t really want to be far. I want to be here.” 

“I understand,” Geno said, squeezing Sid’s hand. “Is why am here too. Where you are, I am too.” 

Sid smiled, putting his plate aside. “Listen, I know this is crazy, I do, but thank you for being here.” 

“Don’t expect anything less than crazy with you, is okay,” Geno said, pressing a kiss to his temple. “I like crazy life with you. Now come on, we watch British baking.” 

Sid settled back in bed with Geno and was dozing off far quicker than he’d ever admit. 

_/\\_

The egg took all day to hatch, and more than once Sid had to snap at Geno to remind him that no, he was not allowed to help. 

The little bird would work for a while and go limp with exhaustion from how hard it was having to work to break free of its shell. It was so hard to watch it struggle so much.  
  
When it was finally free he laid there panting, wet and gross-looking in the incubator. Sid fretted until the chick dried and was a ball of grey down. “Is much cuter now,” Geno said, which earned him a sound smack on the chest. 

“Go down and get that puree I made, and the eyedropper. I’m going to try feeding it in a bit. Looked like they worked up an appetite to me.” 

Geno nodded and did as he was told. 

The next full moon was amazing. They had their chick, who was getting strong and brave and wanted to do everything they were doing. Its sweet little peeps were the most amazing sound, and Geno was in love. 

Sid was careful to stay away from the water and they took turns feeding the growing chick when he was hungry. 

When the end of the night came, there was a bit of hesitation on Geno’s part. Should the chick stay with Sid? Go with him? Would the chick stay a chick?” 

Ultimately the chick hopped into Sid’s nest and made the decision for them. Sid joined him, cuddling in close. 

Geno reluctantly left. 

The next morning Sid was cleaning up in the cold room with a little penguin chick trailing behind him peeping for attention. When Geno entered he quickly became the new target, and he could help sweeping the little bird up, holding him close. “So we know is boy, we going to name now?” Geno asked softly. 

“I was thinking Nikita,” Sid said with a little smile. 

The chick peeped against Geno’s neck. “I think he likes. Hello Nikita.” 

_/\\_

Nikita graduated from the incubator to a spare bedroom that had been converted into a little enclosure that allowed him more room to move around. They’d told a handful of their teammates about their new addition and of course Flower was the first to come over, looking like a cat who had found a huge bowl of cream that he got to have all to himself. 

“This is the most amazing thing that has ever happened, I cannot believe the hockey gods have gifted us with such a glorious gift!” Flower said. “I am coming over the next full moon so Uncle Flower can spend time with the baby, show him how much fun he’s missing out on having you two as parents.”  
  
“Always nice have you over,” Geno said with an eye roll, leaving Sid with his French Canadian. Their relationship was something that was confusing but hilarious, something that Geno very much enjoyed observing from afar. He always sort of thought that Flower was making fun of him, but Sid swore up and down that he wasn’t, he just always had that shit-eating smile on his face. 

As soon as Flower gave NIkita some pureed sardine, he had made a friend for life. 

Then Tanger came. Then Tanger and Alex. Then the entire Letang family, then the Fleury household. Slowly word began to spread and more teammates began to trickle in, bringing gifts either for a human baby, a pet bird, or a penguin enthusiast both hockey team and animal alike. 

Nikita was not impressed. Mostly he slept or ate or pooped in the same place in his enclosure. He got bigger and rounder and was always chirping away, waddling around at full speed. 

Sid… had a hard time leaving him alone, which was understandable. He had taken to wearing a hoodie around the house backwards, Nikita perched in the hood looking fluffy and content. 

Geno had countless pictures of this on his pone, just like Sid had countless pictures of Geno sprawled out on the sofa asleep, their little chick sprawled out on his chest. 

Soon enough it was time for the next full moon, and they had a plan-- Nikita would retreat to the warm room at the end of the night to see what would happen. 

Most of the night they spent together, Geno eating his fill, feeding an eager NIkita, and trying not to get too grumpy when he got cold. 

Sid swam happily as Nikita hopped from rock to rock, his tiny wings stuck straight out at his sides. If it was for balance, Geno saw no evidence of it helping. The chick spent more time tumbling and righting himself than actually hopping. 

He didn’t seem to mind too awfully much. 

Geno hunkered down in Sid’s pile of rocks, tucking his beak for warmth. It wasn’t long before he felt a little body try to squirm back in by his feet, and only a little while still until he felt Sid’s damp, freezing body against his side. 

Nikita let out a pleased trill as he snuggled down between them. 

Geno began to groom Sid gently, nipping down through his slick feathers. Sid shivered and stretched out his neck, letting out a soft trilling purr. 

Well then. 

He nudged into Sid’s side and made a soft sound of his own, but Sid pulled back a bit to level him with a glare. 

Geno huffed, a bit put out by the rejection, but he understood. Sid most definitely didn’t want to risk another egg. Geno could wait until the morning. 

Morning was coming and Geno shook his head before hopping out of the nest while Sid gently roused Nikita. 

Geno herded the chick toward the warm room, and he helped him scramble on top of his hot rock with a gentle nudge of his beak. 

Nikita took to it quickly, which Geno took as a good sign. 

The warmth was too much for Geno to resist and he dozed off. 

  
  


_/\\_ 

  
  


There was a strange sound coming from beside Geno. A gurgling hum. It was new, but pleasant. He cracked open a bleary eye to investigate. 

Beside him on the rock was a baby with its left foot in its mouth, gumming on its toes and letting out pleased little sounds. 

Geno sat up like a shot, and the baby’s eyes widened. “Nikita?” he asked. 

The baby squealed and released its foot and-- yes. A boy. He smiled a gummy smile and held up his arms as he kicked his legs, making squealing noises that sounded suspiciously like a peeping chick. 

Geno swept the baby into his arms and let out a surprised laugh, smoothing down Nikita’s fluff of brown curls as he set off in search of Sid. 

He snapped awake when Geno stormed into the cold room, his hair a strange matted mess. “Sid, we have baby! Real baby!” Geno craved as he collapsed down next to Sid, turning Nikita in his arms. 

“Oh my god…” Sid gasped, his eyes filling with tears as he leaned forward, taking Nikita in his arms and holding him close. “Hey, hi buddy…” 

Geno wrapped an arm around Sid, drawing him in close. 

Nikita was trying to flap his little arms and was making that same peeping sound, but it was clear he knew them.. Recognized them as his parents, the penguins and the people who had cared for him. 

Sid drew his knees up and laid Nikita back against his thighs, giving him the once-over. “What, you look to see if still have feathers?” Geno asked. Even still, he looked just as closely as Sid. 

Nikita had bright hazel eyes, chubby cheeks, and long, skinny limbs. His hair was a brown puff that reminded Geno very much of his down feathers. 

He was the most beautiful baby Geno had ever seen. “We need diapers, formula, bottles. Do we…” Sid began.   
  
“I already get, have everything,” Geno said. “Clothes, too. You want give him bottle, then both. Then maybe we send out message to everyone with picture. Then turn off phone for little while.” 

Sid cuddled Nikita in close. “Yeah. He’s probably a little cold in here.” 

“I am big cold,” Geno said as he stood, holding out a hand to help Sid to his feet. It was easy to forget he was naked when he was in the warm room, but not so easy in Sid’s room. He needed a hot shower, a large mug of tea, and a fuzzy blanket with Sid tucked against his side and Nikita curled between them. 

One thing at a time. 

Nikita was baffled by the bottle, which was funny at first but soon grew frustrating for everyone. All three of them were covered in milk before he had grasped the concept, and after thoroughly cleaning the sink Geno prepared a warm bath for him. 

“Give here, I get him rinsed off and used to water and you go get shampoo for baby and towel,” Geno said as he took the sticky baby from Sid. 

Sid looked like he wanted to argue but dashed off, coming back in a bathrobe with full arms. 

Nikita took to the water easily. It was clear he was a little frustrated by his lack of mobility and dexterity, but splashing Geno caused him to squeal with joy. 

“You little trouble,” Geno said as he tickled Niki’s round belly. 

“I wonder where he gets that?” Sid asked with a smirk as he gently lathered up NIki’s skin and hair, forming it into one tall spike like Geno always did to Sid’s when they shared a shower. 

“Definitely you,” Geno replied as he rinsed away the bubbles. 

He saw Sid unfolding the towel and lifted NIkita from the water, depositing him into Sid’s arms. He was quickly enveloped in the towel. 

Geno let the water out of the sink and he gathered up the lotion, clothes and diaper Sid had brought down. 

He smirked when he saw the penguin onesie that Flower had sent over that had been worn by each of his children at some point. 

Putting lotion, clothes and a diaper on a squirming baby was no easy feat, but they were a good team. 

Nikita’s hair had dried in soft baby curls and he was beginning to fade fast. “Come on G, we need a picture before he falls asleep,” Sid said, pulling the blanket down off the back of the sofa. “Lay this out, maybe.” 

Geno did as he was instructed, artfully draping the blanket on the sofa before taking Nikita, propping him up a bit before pulling out his phone. 

Geno wished he had two cameras, one to point at NIkita and one to point at Sid as he desperately tried to make Nikita smile. The feeling that flooded Geno’s chest was nothing short of pure joy-- Sid was making an utter fool of himself for their son’s benefit and nothing could have been better than this very moment. 

He got the perfect picture, put a filter on it, and opened up a new text window that held his mother, Taylor, Trina, Flower and Tanger. Anyone else who needed to know would hear from one of them. 

_Hello! It’s a penguin! Xx_

He sent the message and powered down his phone. “If you want Sidka, you go have shower, get dressed. When you done is my turn,” Geno said, picking up the already dozing Nikita and settling back on the sofa. 

Sid shifted so he could drape the blanket over Geno. “Okay. I’ll be quick. You’ll be awake when I’m done?” 

Geno nodded, settling a large hand on Nikita’s back. “Yes, sure. I’m awake, take shower, then we all nap together. Promise.” 

Sid levelled a skeptical look his way but didn’t argue. 

Sid was right to be skeptical. It was difficult to resist the pull of a sleeping baby. 

Geno wasn’t even sure Sid had even gotten into the shower before he had fallen asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> This... is probably the start of a 'verse that I will revisit. It's too cute to resist.


End file.
